Diyar Güldoğan
03 October 2026•Update: 03 October 2026
US Sen. Chris Van Hollen said on Friday that President Donald Trump is preparing to expand the country’s military presence in the Middle East, accusing the administration of concealing service member casualties and pursuing an “illegal war of choice” in Iran.
“The President, who continues to hide service member casualties, is now sending up to another 10,000 troops to his illegal war of choice in Iran,” Van Hollen wrote on US social media company X. “When Trump says he’s planning on renewing his war next month, believe him. Congress must cut off funding.”
The remarks came after reports said the Pentagon is preparing to deploy a third aircraft carrier strike group and additional Marine Corps ships to the Middle East as Trump considers resuming strikes on Iran after the midterm elections in early November.
The Wall Street Journal reported on Thursday that the deployment could add an estimated 9,000 to 10,000 US troops to the region.
The ships, fighter jets, Marines and sailors are expected to arrive by the end of November, according to officials cited by the newspaper.